FIFA ranked the United States men’s national soccer team fourth among nations in April 2006.

Having led Team USA to its historic peak, many assumed head coach Bruce Arena was at the top of his game. Yet, he’d be uncerimoniously fired within a few months, following Team USA’s early exit from the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In eight years, he had become Team USA’s all-time leader in wins and winning percentage. It’s no coincidence that Team USA has never held such a lofty position in FIFA’s monthly rankings since his departure.

Arena returned to the helm of the national team Tuesday when The U.S. Soccer Federation re-hired him as head coach in the wake of Jurgen Klinsmann’s firing. Arena’s contract expires after the 2018 World Cup in Russia, a relatively short-term appointment for the most consequential soccer job in the country. Nevertheless, Arena is back on top of American soccer’s coaching heap — where he belongs (and has been for the better part of the last 25 years).

And Arena doesn’t need to take Team USA back to fourth in the world. The head coach’s job description is different now than it was in 1998 when he first arrived. He only needs to qualify for the 2018 World Cup — something he has done twice before — and sounds more than ready to meet the immediate challenge.

“Ten years later I’m better prepared for this job than I was in 1998, 2002, and ultimately 2006,” Arena said Tuesday on a conference call with reporters, per NBC Sports’ Nicholas Mendola. “… One of the things you learn from experience is you see things a lot clearer, a lot quicker.”

Arena must use his instincts and experience to restore confidence among Team USA’s players in time for the crucial World Cup qualifiers against Honduras and at Panama on March 24 and 28, 2017, respectively. Winning those games will lift USA from last place into firm contention for a spot in the World Cup with six games remaining. The challenge is simple for the safest pair of hands in the U.S. coaching pool.

Arena, an expert man-manager, started working before U.S. Soccer announced his appointment, and his saying of the right things suggest his presence will have the desired effect on Team USA.

“I’m looking forward to working with a strong group of players that understand the challenge in front of them after the first two games of the Hex,” Arena said.

“I haven’t spoken to (captain) Michael Bradley but I have had communication with a couple of players over the last 10 hours or so,” Arena said. “We need to build a chemistry with this team and build a common goal, work on a team concept. We have good players. We just gotta get them working together as a team.”

U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati said Tuesday on the same conference call that Arena was the number one candidate to replace Klinsmann. After qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, Arena will work to meet similar expectations as he faced in his first stint in charge: progress from the group stage to the knockout rounds.

Regadless of what happens in Russia, Gulati now has at least 19 months to identify and recruit Arena’s successor (he must choose wisely for the sake of his own legacy).

Arena then can retire, return to MLS or even coach abroad with his hard-earned title as the best coach in American soccer history secure for the foreseeable future … just as it has been for the last decade or so.

Bruce Arena once made the United States men’s soccer team great. Fans now hope he can do it again.

The U.S. Soccer Federation announced on its website it has appointed Arena as head coach of Team USA on Tuesday. The announcement comes one day after U.S. Soccer fired Jurgen Klinsmann amid a disastrous start to the final round of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Arena will take charge on Dec. 1 with the mandate of ensuring Team USA qualifies for the its eighth consecutive World Cup. Team USA currently sits last in the six-team standings after two games in the final round, but eight more games remain on the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying schedule, starting on March 24, 2017 against Honduras.

His contract expires in less than two years.

GULATI: "We have an agreement with Bruce through the World Cup, with various contingencies that all contracts have."

“When we considered the possible candidates to take over the Men’s National Team at this time, Bruce was at the top of the list,” U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati said in a statement. “His experience at the international level, understanding of the requirements needed to lead a team through World Cup qualifying, and proven ability to build a successful team were all aspects we felt were vital for the next coach. We all know Bruce will be fully committed to preparing the players for the next eight qualifying games and earning a berth to an eighth-straight FIFA World Cup in Russia.”

Arena, 65, said he’s ready to meet the challenge.

“Any time you get the opportunity to coach the National Team it’s an honor,” Arena said. “I’m looking forward to working with a strong group of players that understand the challenge in front of them after the first two games of the Hex. Working as a team, I’m confident that we’ll take the right steps forward to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.”

Arena has coached Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy since 2008. He previously coached the U.S. from 1998 to 2006, leading Team USA at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. Team USA’s run to the quarterfinals in 2002 represents its best showing at a modern World Cup. He’s a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame and has coached a record five MLS Cup-winning teams.

Arena was rumored to be the leading contender for the job from the moment U.S. Soccer fired Klinsmann. Arena’s appointment confirms the worst-kept secret in American soccer.

Bruce Arena looks headed back to the top of U.S. Soccer’s coaching mountain.

Arena is the odds-on favorite to replace Jurgen Klinsmann as head coach of the U.S. men’s soccer team, according to several prominent U.S. soccer reporters. Klinsmann was fired Monday afternoon, and ESPN’s Doug McIntyre and Jeff Carlisle, Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl, Goal.com’s Ives Galarcep and The New York Times’ Sam Borden all used Twitter to indicate Arena will be the next person to lead Team USA.

BREAKING: Jurgen Klinsmann has been fired as head coach of the U.S. National Team. No word on replacement, though Bruce Arena is likely.

Arena has coached Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy since 2008. His contract will expire next month, paving the way for him to accept the U.S. job with few complications.

Carlisle and McIntyre reported last week that U.S. Soccer had recently contacted Arena and Sporting Kansas City coach Peter Vermes to gauge their interest in the national-team job. In the wake of Monday’s developments, U.S. Soccer could appoint Arena as early as Tuesday.

Arena, 65, likely will take over on an interim basis with the task of ensuring that the U.S. qualifies for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Team USA won’t play again until March 2017 (against Honduras and at Panama), giving Arena plenty of time to plan for the coming sprint to Russia.

Arena previously coached the U.S. from 1998 to 2006, leading Team USA at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. Team USA’s run to the quarterfinals in 2002 represents its best showing at a modern World Cup. Arena is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame and has coached a record five MLS Cup-winning teams.

Sources: Bruce Arena to be next U.S. men's soccer coach. He's the U.S. all-time leader in games (130), wins (71) & win pct (.658) as HC.

The United States Soccer Federation announced Monday in a statement that it had fired Klinsmann from his dual roles as men’s national team head coach and program technical director. U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati decided to make the coaching change amid Team USA’s disastrous start to the final round of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying.

“We want to thank Jurgen for his hard work and commitment during these last five years,” Gulati said. “He took pride in having the responsibility of steering the program, and there were considerable achievements along the way.

“While we remain confident that we have quality players to help us advance to Russia 2018, the form and growth of the team up to this point left us convinced that we need to go in a different direction. With the next qualifying match in late March, we have several months to refocus the group and determine the best way forward to ensure a successful journey to qualify for our eighth-consecutive World Cup.

Gulati acted quickly just six days after USA’s bitter 4-0 loss to Costa Rica, which left Team USA at the bottom of the CONCACAF final-round standings after two games (out of 10). A 2-1 setback to Mexico preceeded the Costa Rica loss, heaping pressure on Klinsmann from which he never recovered.

Jurgen Klinsmann's last two games in charge were the first time the #USMNT lost back to back #WCQ matches since 2001.

Klinsmann defiantly said Sunday he remains certain Team USA will qualify for World Cup 2018 and that he wasn’t afraid of losing his job.

The German-American led the U.S. to the round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup and a fourth-place finish at Copa America 2016. He also helped USA win the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2013 but oversaw the disappointing fourth-place finish in the 2015 competition. His final record as Team USA coach is 55 wins, 27 losses and 16 draws.

57.3 – Jurgen Klinsmann won 57.3 percent of his games while in charge of the U.S. Men's National Team, the best of any USMNT manager. Gone.

The U.S. men’s soccer head coach staunchly defended his tenure and his players Sunday in an interview with the New York Times’ Sam Borden. Klinsmann repsonded to the mounting criticism he faces in the aftermath of Team USA’s disastrous start to the final round of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, saying his detractors don’t know what they’re talking about.

“I’m not afraid (of losing the USA job),” Klinsmann said. “What you need to do is stick to the facts. Soccer is emotional, and a lot of people make conclusions without knowing anything about the inside of the team or the sport. I still believe we will get the points we need to qualify, and I am even confident we could win the group.

“The fact is, we lost two games … .”

Klinsmann doesn’t agree with critics, who accuse USA players of quitting last week in the second half of the 4-0 loss to Costa Rica.

“There was nobody giving up at that time,” Klinsmann said. “That was a normal emotional situation when things go wrong. When they get the second goal there, it was like a knock in your neck. I played those games many, many times. The whole stadium goes bananas. It’s totally human to put your head down for a second. And then they counter us for two more. Those games will always happen. We just couldn’t stop it, but the players did not stop trying.”

While Klinsmann acknowledges he shares blame for Team USA’s recent struggles, he says moving from one generation of players to the next is a difficult task.

“We are coaching a team through a transitional phase,” he said. “We still have to break in younger players. We still have to look for leadership for the team. There are still a lot of technical and chemistry challenges ahead that are normal in this time period. And you put the final pieces together as you go towards Russia, which I am absolutely sure we will do.”

Citing soccer executives familiar with the situation, Borden reported that U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati could decide to replace Klinsmann as early as this week. Borden also adds that Klinsmann and Gulati communicated last week via text message and they’ll talk “in the coming days.”

Klinsmann said he has previously advised Gulati that knee-jerk decisions could stall Team USA’s forward progress.

“I always made it clear to Sunil, if you really want to move up to the top 15 in the world, you need to have consistency in what you’re doing,” Klinsmann said. “If you react emotionally, you will become a roller coaster.”

We should learn this week how secure Klinsmann’s seat-belt on that ride truly is.

The United States men’s soccer team will end 2016 with a bitter taste in its mouth.

Following Friday’s narrow loss to Mexico, Team USA head coach Jurgen Klinsmann called on his players to react positively in the next game at Costa Rica.

That didn’t happen.

The U.S. fell 4-0 to Costa Rica on Tuesday, dropping to the bottom of the CONCACAF standings in the final round of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The result heaped loads of pressure on Klinsmann, with many calling for U.S. Soccer to replace him.

Watch the video above to see NESN.com’s Marcus Kwesi O’Mard and Courtney Cox discuss how Team USA hit rock bottom.

Lionel Messi has scored 29 free-kick goals in his career. This one might be the best of the lot.

The free-kick goal that the soccer superstar scored Tuesday in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Colombia made the Internet buzz with approval. Messi beat Colombia’s David Ospina from 25 yards with a powerful, swerving free kick, which bounced off the crossbar into the goal.

Messi ruling the field is no surprise, but what he did after the game was a shock. As Argentina’s captain, he presided over an extraordinary press conference, in which he and his teammates vowed to stop speaking to the press due to a story one journalist wrote about Ezequiel Lavezzi.

The United States men’s soccer team’s backs aren’t up against the wall … yet.

Team USA will visit Costa Rica on Tuesday at the host’s National Stadium in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier in the CONCACAF region. The U.S. looks to rebound from Friday’s setback against Mexico, but history suggests it won’t happen in Central America. Costa Rica has won eight and drawn one of the nine World Cup qualifiers it has played at home against Team USA.

The U.S. would fall to to the bottom of CONCACAF’s final-round standings with a loss to Costa Rica, depending on other results. USA Soccer doesn’t want to end its 2016 schedule on such a down note.

Like the country it represents, the United States men’s soccer team entered a world of uncertainty this week. Unlike the U.S. nation itself, we can blame Mexico for the change in mood.

Team USA lost 2-1 to Mexico on Friday at Mapfre Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Rafael Marquez scored the winning goal in the 89th minute to consign the U.S. its first home loss in FIFA World Cup qualifying in 15 years. Conversely, Mexico notched its first road World Cup qualifying win over its archrival since 1972. While “El Tri” has kicked off its final round of World Cup qualifying with a bang, team USA has stumbled into an iffy future ahead of a difficult trip to Costa Rica.

Here’s how it happened:

Start strong
Mexico needed less than 10 minutes to hit top gear, thanks to its strong mentality, superb organization and effective game plan. The opposite was true for Team USA, whose head coach, Jurgen Klinsmann deployed his players in an unfamiliar, 3-5-2 formation.

The U.S. players clearly weren’t comfortable in Klinsmann’s tactical set-up, and Mexico dominated the first half hour. Miguel Layun put Mexico in front in the 20th minute with a long-distance goal that strangely beat goalkeeper Tim Howard. In fact, Mexico could have led by more had it not hit the post twice in the first 25 minutes.

Team USA gradually improved toward the end of the first half. Then it came out swinging in the second, with Bobby Wood scoring a fine goal in the 49th minute. Wood’s strike filled the U.S. with belief, which it used to overrun Mexico for much of the second half.

Klinsmann’s lineup and formation gambles didn’t work. That he made them in such a big game is confusing and justifiably fuels criticism he faces.

One shot, one kill
The teams looked set to battle to a draw. That is, until Marquez scored in the 89th minute on Mexico’s first corner kick of the game. Klinsmann explained in his postgame press conference why Marquez had a free header at such a pivotal moment.

Before the game, Marquez, 37, already was a hero to Mexico fans and villain to their U.S. counterparts. That’s set in stone now. Forever.

Bad Hombres
Rough play characterized the game throughout, and the referee responded by issuing a nine yellow cards — six to Mexico and three to the U.S. — and a red one to Carlos Salcedo late in second-half stoppage time.

We expected a physical contest, and the teams delivered from start to finish. While tension threatened to boil into a melee at times, it never did. Maybe it’s because the teams posed together for a moment of pregame solidarity in the wake of U.S. presidential election.

The U.S. will visit 2014 World Cup quarterfinalist Costa Rica on Tuesday. Another loss will jeapordize Team USA’s chances of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup and make clinching a spot before the last game of the final round — a genuine CONCACAF triumph — all but impossible.

The game looked set to be a classic “tale of two halves,” but Rafael Marquez, Mexico’s 37-year-old icon, stunned the Americans with an unforgettable late goal. Mexico dominated the first half, taking the lead after 20 minutes through Miguel Layun, but Team USA came out fighting in the second period, and Bobby Wood scored four minutes after the restart. The hosts had the better scoring opportunities as the game neared full time, but Mexico created, then converted, the last best chance it had on the evening.

It’s Team USA’s first home World Cup qualifying loss in 15 years.

Mexico defeats U.S. in World Cup qualifier.

US was unbeaten in previous 30 home qualifiers – last loss to Honduras in 2001

It’s Mexico’s first road win over USA in a World Cup qualifier since 1972.

Team USA will visit Costa Rica on Tuesday, as it seeks to earn its first points of the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.

That’s all for now, and thanks for joining us. Let’s discuss this one on Twitter @NESNsoccer and Facebook. Be sure to keep an eye out for some news, fan reactions, analysis and opinion coming up on NESN.com/soccer.

Team USA should consider itself lucky to be down by only one goal, given the gap in performance between it and Mexico. The visitors have played at a higher tempo, created more chances, hit the post twice and scored once.

7 – Seven of the nine first half Mexico shots came from outside the box. Range.

The U.S. defenders failed to contain Mexico’s wingers, the midfield offered little control and service to the forwards, and the attackers seemed to lack sharpness on their few scoring opportunities.

Klinsmann’s formation gamble backfired, and he switched to a four-back formation after Corona’s goal. The tweak didn’t help much, as Mexico maintained its advantage on balance of play through the end of the half.

Guardado’s injury didn’t slow Mexico, while Howard’s ailment looms large, given Team USA’s over-reliance on his hands and feet.

24 – Despite being subbed, @TimHowardGK had the third most touches of any @ussoccer player in the first half, with 24. Problematic.

Pregame: USA head coach Jurgen Klinsmann is gambling with a new formation, opting for five defenders, three midfielders and two strikers. Klinsmann has played four-defender setup throughout his five-year tenure, and this five-back setup is a big surprise. At least, that’s how the U.S. lineup looks on paper.

7:30 p.m. ET: The United States men’s soccer team made Mapfre Stadium into Mexico’s house of horror in 2001, 2005, 2009, and 2013. We’ll learn Friday whether to add 2016 to the list of “Dos A Ceros.”

Team USA will host Mexico at Mapfre Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, in a high-stakes 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying game in the CONCACAF region. The U.S. beat Mexico 2-0 at home in the last four cycles, playing Mexico, its biggest rival, in chilly and cramped Columbus each time.

The CONCACAF giants are set to meet again in the first of 10 games they’ll play in the final, or “hexagonal,” round of qualifying for the next World Cup. A good start will be key to Team USA’s qualifying fate, and kicking things off at its spiritual home just might provide enough momentum to take them to Russia 2018.

U.S. begins final round of World Cup qualifying at 8 ET. An explanation of format & what teams need to advance: https://t.co/Ng3fTft75w

Team USA will face Mexico on Friday at Mapfre Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, in the teams’ first game of the final round of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. A patriotic atmosphere likely will provide the backdrop for the game between these CONCACAF giants, who enter hoping to kick off their sprint to the World Cup in Russia with three important points.

Only fate could make a World Cup qualifying game between the United States and Mexico more important than it normally would be, but that’s exactly what has happened.

The U.S. will host Mexico on Friday at Mapfre Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, in the final (or “hexagonal”) round of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The teams are the undisputed soccer giants of CONCACAF — the region comprised of the North and Central American nations plus those in the Caribbean. The U.S. and Mexico and are each others’ biggest rivals, toughest regional foes, and any competitive meetings between the two are seismic.

Their respective journeys through the hexagonal round will begin on Friday. After the Mexico game, Team USA will travel to Costa Rica, a 2014 FIFA World Cup quarterfinalist, for another difficult test Tuesday. The teams will then break for the rest of 2016 and prepare for the final eight qualifying games, which will take place next year. A good start in the hexagonal round is crucial for Team USA to maintain its margin of error going forward, and it eyes a haul of at least four points from these opening two games. Two defeats could put USA’s World Cup qualification prospects into early jeopardy.

And that was all before Tuesday’s U.S. presidential election, in which Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton.

Trump’s shock victory changed the mood of both the U.S. and Mexico overnight, and that’s unlikely to change by the time the game kicks off. Friday also is Veterans Day in the U.S., adding to the nationalist fervor. Simply put, this USA-Mexico game will be unlike any other.

Following the election, Michael Bradley issued a statement in which he called for respect on both sides. All involved in the contest would do well to follow the USA captain’s lead.

On the field
USA fans are hoping for another “Dos a Cero,” the famous 2-0 scoreline by which their team has triumphed over Mexico on five occasions this century, with four coming during World Cup qualifying games hosted in Columbus.

But repeating the feat will be tricky, with veterans Clint Dempsey, Geoff Cameron and Kyle Beckerman all absent from the latest roster due to various physical issues.

Head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has repeatedly called on younger players to stake their claims for starting spots, and there’s no time like the present for them to do so. Christian Pulisic, 18, is enjoying a fine start to the season with German club Borussia Dortmund. He’s the poster-boy for the American wave of the future, but we suspect the USA-Mexico contest might be too big of an occasion for him to shoulder the burden of leading Team USA to victory.

That will fall on stalwarts Tim Howard, Michael Bradley, Alejandro Bedoya and Jozy Altidore on Friday. They represent the brigade of Americans who returned to Major League Soccer in recent years following their personal adventures with European clubs. Klinsmann would rather USA players compete for European clubs, but a win over Mexico (and perhaps Costa Rica) will vindicate their MLS decisions … at least for now.

Prediction
No “dos a cero” this time around. All things must change in time, and Team USA’s depleted roster has had just a few practice sessions together to prepare for this game. A more likely outcome is a draw, which takes place in a surreal atmosphere in Columbus. Or a Mexico win.

Carlos Alberto’s death has reminded the soccer world of all that is beautiful.

The former Brazil captain died Tuesday in Rio de Janeiro after suffering a heart attack, according to The BBC. He was 72 years old.

Alberto will live forever in soccer lore largely due to his exploits at the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. Brazil was beating Italy 3-1 with four minutes remaining in the final when Alberto, a right fullback, finished a sweeping move with aplomb.

Alberto’s goal is widely hailed as the best in Brazil’s World Cup history, and many argue it’s the greatest goal scored in any World Cup. It also stands as the iconic image of Brazil’s 1970 team, which many remember as the best World Cup squad of all time.

That team included Pele, Jairzinho and Robert Rivelino, but Alberto led them all as captain.

Alberto spent most of his club career playing for Brazil’s Fluminense, Santos and Flamengo. He played his last six seasons in the United States, gracing the NASL with the New York Cosmos and California Surf.

We are devastated by the death news of the legendary Brasil 70 Captain & World Champion Carlos Alberto Torres.

Nadim Shariful Alam, a Bangladeshi man, claims he was exploited while working on 2022 World Cup facilities in Qatar and is suing FIFA for turning a blind eye to the ongoing harsh labor issues in the oil-rich nation.

Alam seeks just $11,500 in compensation, but the Dutch Federation of Trade Unions (FNV), the labor union representing Alam in the Swiss legal system, has bigger goals in mind. The FNV is calling on FIFA to force Qatar to adopt ‘minimum labor standards’ and bring a halt to labor conditions that they refer to as ‘modern slavery.’

NESN.com’s Courtney Cox’s explains the gravity of the 2022 World Cup preparation issues in the video above.

Gulati addressed multiple topics, including the impact the 2016 presidential race could have on the United States’ chances at hosting future World Cups, before Team USA’s 4-0 victory over Costa Rica in Copa America 2016. And, without saying the words “Donald” and “Trump,” he certainly appeared to paint a gloomy picture if the Republican presidential nominee beats Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in November.

“The world’s perception of the United States is affected by who is in the White House,” Gulati said, via Deadspin. “It has some bearing, for sure. Having somebody in the White House that gives the country an outward-looking view and a personality that is more easier accepted around the world is positive for the United States and then more specifically for hosting events here and for our general image from a sports perspective, but it’s far beyond sports.

“A co-hosted World Cup with Mexico would be a little trickier if Secretary Clinton is not in the White House. Can it help you or can it hurt you? Both.”

That’s the main takeaway from the changes to the World Cup-bidding process FIFA announced at its Congress on Tuesday in Mexico, as soccer’s world scandal-ridden governing body seeks to prove it has cleaned up its act. The 2026 World Cup is the first men’s senior tournament under which bidders will operate under reinforced rules.

FIFA first will spend the next year (Phase One) determining what technical, human rights and sustainability standards bidders must meet in order for hosting consideration. FIFA can exclude future bidders on these grounds alone.

Bidders will formally prepare their cases between June 2017 and December 2018 (Phase Two). FIFA will evaluate the bids between January 2019 and February 2020 (Phase Three). FIFA will announce the host country for the 2026 World Cup in May 2020 (Phase Four).

The United States, Canada and Mexico are expected to bid for the right to host the 2026 World Cup.

Other changes to existing hosting rules include:

Joint bids
Japan and South Korea hosted the 2002 World Cup, but subsequent tournaments have been staged in single countries. FIFA will announce in October whether multiple countries can simultaneously host future World Cups and confederations themselves (as opposed to individual national federations) can bid to stage tournaments.

Continental rotation
FIFA also will decide whether to modify its rotation policy, which prohibits countries from the same confederation from hosting consecutive World Cups, by October, a source told Reuters. FIFA reportedly is considering a mandatory 12-year gap between World Cups in the same confederations.

FIFA in October 2010 chose Russia and Qatar as host nations for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Many believe corruption influenced those votes, and Swiss authorities are currently determining whether crimes were committed in the bidding process for those tournaments.

Gianni Infantino’s arrival as FIFA’s new president might herald a new dawn at world soccer’s governing body, but Russia and Qatar shouldn’t worry about their old investments.

Infantino confirmed Monday that FIFA won’t move the 2018 and 2022 World Cups from Russia and Qatar, respectively, according to Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol. Infantino’s stance likely will discourage those who hope FIFA would consider re-voting on the host nations for the next two World Cups under a new president and a reformed governance structure.

FIFA elected Infantino Friday, and Monday was his first day on the job. In a brief interview, he talked about beginning the bidding process for the 2026 World Cup but made no mention of the controversial 2018 and 2022 votes.

Swiss authorities are investigating whether corruption and bribery tainted the bidding process, which resulted in FIFA awarding the next two World Cups to Russia and Qatar in 2010.

Russia will stage the World Cup in less than 30 months. The following edition of the world’s biggest sporting event will take place in Qatar in November and December of 2018, undoubtedly disrupting Europe’s major leagues for at least two seasons.

FIFA has long insisted its World Cup decisions were final, and that appears to remain the case.